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Bringing the crack since December 2003

Logical exploitation of a shared universe, you say?

Invincible Iron Man's been liking to do that, and to keep on; post-500's seeing a focus on Stark Resilient's work in rebuilding Broxton post-Siege, which'll most likely continue through Fear Itself.

But that doesn't come calling until #503, so what's Tony to face other than the travails of futurist civil engineering in #501-502?

The former's solicit promises a "..familiar threat [from] other corners of the Marvel Universe.."

..has been for quite a while, and will continue to be.

Interestingly, the two turn up in the same way, on their issue's first page.. but as you can see, the latter meets Tony in a different temporal and relational way:

(I'd make a joke about Ock's mom dressing him, but..)

In between this, Extremis, and Iron Man Legacy #10, I'm starting to wonder about tech conferences in the MU.. as if the genetics ones weren't bad enough.

But that was then, and this is now.. both men have gone through a lot since.

Recently, they've started feeling it in their heads.. but while Tony's overcome his and gone on to reinvent himself as Stark Resilient, Ock's been biding his time.

Or has he?

One night, back in his hotel room after playing talking head in Manhattan, one of Ock's Macrobots fires a shot right up his ass.

Tony bursts out, armored up and remembering ASM #648: " Octavius, I swear I'm going to find you and I'm going to beat you with all four of your moron--"

Ock responds via the bot:

Now what could he want with Tony, when he's busy setting up his master plan in ASM?

Well, back at that conference, they had a real row about building the future versus maintaining the past for government money.

Otto thought Stark had no right to speak so glibly about funding:

And Tony just thought Octavius was a little stuffed:

But that was then, and this is now. Now, when Octavius is dying, and intends to redress ALL wrongs.

" Now you will either FIX ME.. "

And if the threat of the nuke over Manhattan wasn't enough, Ock's also secured a little insurance using one of Tony's men in Broxton:

(choice method of engulfing, Sandman.)

Still, I will give Ock points for guarding the hostage with the two Sixers that could give Iron Man a close run for his money in case he tried something stupid.. though I was hoping for the Six to rampage through Broxton, but I can see how that wouldn't be advisable.

With those two swords over his head, what is Tony's response?

" I'm sorry. "

(I admire Ock's control, that he can be exasperated like that with waldoes.)

Naturally, this sets Tony off; almost every smart guy in Marvel's going through I CAN FIX THIS these days, aren't they?

Still, it's going to be fun seeing how Fraction handles this, having decided not to chicken out in the first half.. perhaps a stopgap, best case?

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